St Thomas Methodist Church
Annual Report 2025
Administration Information
The Church is situated in Cowick Street Exeter and is a registered Charity
The Managing Trustees during the year were as follows.
Rev Donna Leigh Peter Bennett Mary Bews David Bradford Sue Collins Peter Goodwin David House Janet Lee David Kirk Ann Matthews Rachel Scott Paul Hunkin Esther Reed Josie James Sue Shute Andrew Bolton Trevor Prouse Crawford Munro Daliah Ley Charity and Minister of the Church at the following address:
Rev Donna Leigh 7 Hayne Close Exeter EX4 8QU
St Thomas Methodist Church
Annual Report 2024
Aim
The vision of our Church is to :
-
Offer worship to all which is relevant and engaging
-
To create a community of belonging, offering pastoral care to all members particularly those in need.
-
To serve God through our community both the community local to the Church and the world-wide community
Services are held on a Sunday Morning at 10,30 a.m. catering for all ages and occasional services may be held on Sunday evenings dependant on the Christian of calendar. The Church is an active member of Churches, Together in Central Exeter
St Thomas Methodist Church is building links with St Thomas Parish Church and the Riverside Church by sharing mission opportunities within the community.
The Church premises are extensively used by the Church in course of its arranged activities and also by a large number of community groups. Further details of the activities of the church can be found on the website www.stthomasmethodist.co.uk
TRUSTEE TRAINING
A range of guidance produced by the Methodist Connexion to support the effective running of the Church and the role of the Trustees is given to the Church Trustees at various meeting and training sessions
RELATED PARTIES
The Church is part of the Exeter Coast and Country Circuit, which is part of the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District and is also accountable to the Methodist Conference.
Internal Organisations linked to the Church are
5[th] Exeter Boys’ Brigade Carers and Toddlers
St Thomas Methodist Church
Annual Report 2025
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES OF LAST YEAR
The Church has been able to engage in its normal activities during the last year
-
1) Messy Church
-
2) Boys’ Brigade, Guides, Rainbows and Brownies are all sponsored groups and the Church runs Carers and Toddlers group. The Church maintains contact weekly with these groups by various means
-
3) A Leadership team meets monthly to discuss various items
-
4) The Church is able to offer a social programme for members to develop their common life together now Government restrictions have been lifted.
-
5) The Church has responded to the needs of the community by offering practical help and by responding to appeals to humanitarian needs across the world. It is a member of St Thomas Community Association and has actively supported it.
-
6) Church Council has continued with its programme to enhance the premises. The gardens continue to bloom and attract a lot of visitors.
-
7) Cameras have been installed in the Church, so that events can be recorded for people to view.
-
8) This year was the 90[th] Anniversary of the opening of the church and various activities and services were held to mark the occasion.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The General Fund for the year ended 31[st] August 2026 showed a deficit of £5133. The accounts were presented to the trustees in November 2025, and examined and approved by an external examiner, Mr Michael Phillips in May 2026.
The Church bankers are HSBC Bank and monies are held on deposit with the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church.
As a financial control all payments have to be authorised by 2 people
CHURCH RESERVE POLICY
The Church has a policy of holding six months expenditure in reserve on the General Fund and organises fund raising project and events to provide adequate income
BENEVOLENT FUND
The Church maintains a benevolent fund which is a restricted fund to enable loans and gifts to be made at the discretion of the Minister. The Balance in the Benevolent fund at 31[st] August 2025 was £350
ST THOMAS METHODIST CHURCH
ACCOUNTS 19.10.25 12 MTHS TO 310825 12 MTHS TO 310824 12 MTHS TO 310823 12 MTHS T
| Income from collectons Gif day Gifs & donatons Cofee (net) HMRC refund Interest received Other income Circuit share Duplicator & statonery Electricity Gas Water Telephone & internet Insurance Repairs Notces Bins Cleaning/ caretaker Other expenditure Room hire income (Defcit)/Surplus Camera/ Flat roof repair less grant received Preschool Carried forward |
28,141 29,136 28,765 29,557 0 1,831 1,467 6,440 0 29,972 30,603 35,205 29,557 29,972 30,603 35,205 576 436 185 7,638 7,783 6,000 38,186 38,822 41,390 1,011 1,256 848 1,500 2,250 39,197 41,578 44,488 (33,296) (33,296) (37,100) 5,901 8,282 7,388 1,484 2,655 3,129 1,828 2,953 2,055 2,699 2,620 5,142 6,502 3,577 3,121 1,299 900 954 1,458 348 322 4,733 4,612 4,484 3,929 14,747 2,969 2,995 3,225 0 241 418 293 252 286 195 257 4,421 1,891 317 257 1,683 (37,062) 901 (23,334) 642 (19,410) 928 |
28,141 29,136 28,765 29,557 0 1,831 1,467 6,440 0 29,972 30,603 35,205 29,557 29,972 30,603 35,205 576 436 185 7,638 7,783 6,000 38,186 38,822 41,390 1,011 1,256 848 1,500 2,250 39,197 41,578 44,488 (33,296) (33,296) (37,100) 5,901 8,282 7,388 1,484 2,655 3,129 1,828 2,953 2,055 2,699 2,620 5,142 6,502 3,577 3,121 1,299 900 954 1,458 348 322 4,733 4,612 4,484 3,929 14,747 2,969 2,995 3,225 0 241 418 293 252 286 195 257 4,421 1,891 317 257 1,683 (37,062) 901 (23,334) 642 (19,410) 928 |
29,557 0 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29,557 | |||
| (31,161) (15,052) (12,022) 26,028 18,706 26,469 (5,133) 3,654 14,447 3,707 14,759 0 -1,741 -14,759 3,601 0 3,601 1,966 (5,133) 53 12,481 |
|||
TO 310822 12 MTHS TO 310821 12 MTHS TO 310820 12 MTHS TO 310819 12 MTHS TO 310818
| 35,564 32,655 42,344 45,392 35 50 3,356 10,645 1,005 930 1,212 7,620 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 29,557 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 (5) 10 451 708 782 6,836 7,004 8,539 9,194 14,017 36,388 43,618 42,625 56,814 78,456 30 4 72 42 31 3,425 250 1,236 39,843 43,872 43,933 56,856 78,487 (48,000) (45,000) (34,250) (53,000) (57,250) (8,157) (1,128) 9,683 3,856 21,237 3,079 2,676 4,015 3,649 2,471 2,372 2,515 2,523 1,501 1,462 4,924 4,369 579 1,096 1,465 1,306 3,663 3,660 3,566 3,428 891 6,755 8,682 2,545 282 259 254 299 176 265 275 244 581 683 279 5,441 (17,916) 772 (13,995) 1,863 (21,091) 1,646 (27,621) 1,372 (25,176) |
35,564 32,655 42,344 45,392 35 50 3,356 10,645 1,005 930 1,212 7,620 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 29,557 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 (5) 10 451 708 782 6,836 7,004 8,539 9,194 14,017 36,388 43,618 42,625 56,814 78,456 30 4 72 42 31 3,425 250 1,236 39,843 43,872 43,933 56,856 78,487 (48,000) (45,000) (34,250) (53,000) (57,250) (8,157) (1,128) 9,683 3,856 21,237 3,079 2,676 4,015 3,649 2,471 2,372 2,515 2,523 1,501 1,462 4,924 4,369 579 1,096 1,465 1,306 3,663 3,660 3,566 3,428 891 6,755 8,682 2,545 282 259 254 299 176 265 275 244 581 683 279 5,441 (17,916) 772 (13,995) 1,863 (21,091) 1,646 (27,621) 1,372 (25,176) |
35,564 32,655 42,344 45,392 35 50 3,356 10,645 1,005 930 1,212 7,620 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 29,557 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 (5) 10 451 708 782 6,836 7,004 8,539 9,194 14,017 36,388 43,618 42,625 56,814 78,456 30 4 72 42 31 3,425 250 1,236 39,843 43,872 43,933 56,856 78,487 (48,000) (45,000) (34,250) (53,000) (57,250) (8,157) (1,128) 9,683 3,856 21,237 3,079 2,676 4,015 3,649 2,471 2,372 2,515 2,523 1,501 1,462 4,924 4,369 579 1,096 1,465 1,306 3,663 3,660 3,566 3,428 891 6,755 8,682 2,545 282 259 254 299 176 265 275 244 581 683 279 5,441 (17,916) 772 (13,995) 1,863 (21,091) 1,646 (27,621) 1,372 (25,176) |
35,564 32,655 42,344 45,392 35 50 3,356 10,645 1,005 930 1,212 7,620 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 29,557 36,604 33,635 46,912 63,657 (5) 10 451 708 782 6,836 7,004 8,539 9,194 14,017 36,388 43,618 42,625 56,814 78,456 30 4 72 42 31 3,425 250 1,236 39,843 43,872 43,933 56,856 78,487 (48,000) (45,000) (34,250) (53,000) (57,250) (8,157) (1,128) 9,683 3,856 21,237 3,079 2,676 4,015 3,649 2,471 2,372 2,515 2,523 1,501 1,462 4,924 4,369 579 1,096 1,465 1,306 3,663 3,660 3,566 3,428 891 6,755 8,682 2,545 282 259 254 299 176 265 275 244 581 683 279 5,441 (17,916) 772 (13,995) 1,863 (21,091) 1,646 (27,621) 1,372 (25,176) |
|---|---|---|---|
| (26,073) 25,664 (409) 0 (409) |
(15,123) 16,571 1,448 0 1,448 |
(11,408) (23,765) (3,939) 16,413 27,086 21,453 5,005 3,321 17,514 72 326 (11,318) 0 72 (10,992) 5,005 3,393 6,522 |
(3,939) 21,453 |
| 6,522 |
| 310825 | 310825 | 310824 | 310824 | 310823 | 310823 | 310822 | 310822 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brought forward | (5,133) | 53 | 12,481 | (409) | ||||
| General fund | b/f | 55,543 | 55,490 | 43,009 | 43,418 | |||
| Benevolen | 350 | 350 | 350 | 450 | ||||
| Allocated | 350 | 350 | 350 | (100) | 350 | |||
| Music fund | 188 | 376 | 589 | 589 | ||||
| Allocated | -188 | 0 | -188 | 188 | -213 | 376 | 589 | |
| 50,760 | 56,081 | 56,216 | 43,948 | |||||
| Building fund | 6,486 | |||||||
| 57,246 | 56,081 | 56,216 | 43,948 | |||||
| ASSETS | ||||||||
| CFB | 18,427 | 15,713 | 22,752 | 505 | ||||
| HSBC | 39,790 | 44,768 | 31,445 | 50,193 | ||||
| 58,217 | 60,481 | 54,197 | 50,698 | |||||
| RECEIVABL | 8,164 | 22,077 | 12,500 | 6,500 | ||||
| 66,381 | 82,558 | 66,697 | 57,198 | |||||
| PAYABLE | -9,135 | -26,477 | (10,481) | (13,250) | ||||
| 57,246 | 56,081 | 56,216 | 43,948 | |||||
| 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
48 Crockwells Close Exminster Exeter EX6 8DL 7[th] June 2026
The Treasurer St Thomas Methodist Church Exeter
I can confirm that I have examined the accounts for the period 1.9.2024 to 31.8.2025 of St Thomas Methodist Church, Exeter which unfortunately shows a deficit of £5133 for the year and despite a few initial queries I am pleased to sign the accounts off as being correct
Michael J Phillips